Why do consumers laminate? Mostly for protection and presentation - you may need to protect a price list or a menu from spills or maybe you want to laminate a document that you'll display at a conference to enhance the colors. So you buy a laminating machine and all the supplies that go with it. Well today I'd like to show you an alternate solution - Xerox Revolution Never Tear Papers.

Xerox Revolution Never Tear Papers are synthetic multipurpose papers that are not only tear-proof but waterproof according to the manufacturer's documentation. The products are designed to eliminate the need for laminating. They also have a static-control coating and a super-smooth surface. There are multiple thicknesses available - we carry 4.7, 5, 8 and 10 mil. There are other thicknesses available, as well as pastel colors and specialties like pre-perforated cards, bookmarks, or door hangers that may be available by special order. Call our Customer Service department to inquire about those if you're interested.

Now, being the naturally suspicious person that I am, you know I just had to test it out - so I printed a few flyers on the 4.7 mil Premium version. (One thing that I want to point out to you before I forget is that these papers are for use in laser copiers or laser printers - they are not inkjet compatible.) I purposely chose flyers with heavy ink coverage and bright, vibrant colors. The prints came out beautifully - the colors were indeed bright and vibrant on the page, as well as being crisp and clear. Then I took them to the sink and ran them under water - some under hot water, some under cold water. Yes, Virginia, they are waterproof. They looked just a great after I dried them off as they did before I put them under the tap.

I printed a double-sided brochure to see how well the paper would fold. Xerox claims that the paper is rigid, yet pliable enough for folding, scoring and die-cutting. The 4.7 mil isn't a thickness that would need to be scored or die-cut, so I could only test the folding and there was no issue with that at all. It makes a clean, crisp fold.

Lastly, of course, I had to test the "never tear" part of the claim. No contest there - I don't think there's a human being on earth that can tear this paper. And believe me, I tried. I was able to make an indentation in the edge (see pics below) - I could twist it, I could crumple it, but I could not tear it to save my life. Now, if you cut it with scissors first, you can tear it, but you can't tear it with only your hands.

It took me almost a year after I started writing this blog to give out my first 5 paper clip rating. I'm a pretty fussy person and I have pretty high standards, but I'm going to do it again now. This product absolutely lives up to its claims and I think it is a great alternative to lamination for anyone who doesn't want to invest the money in a machine and supplies, or the time that it takes to do the lamination. With this, just pop the paper in your printer tray, hit Print and you're done!